HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Oct. 14, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) rolled out the U.S. Army's first two high-tech command post systems, built under the Standardized Integrated Command Post System program, today. Over the next nine months, Northrop Grumman will build 48 command post platforms (CPP) for fielding to the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
The Army awarded the CPP program to Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector in August 2004. Under a contract valued at $400 million over five years, Northrop Grumman is developing and fielding Army tactical command posts, from which commanders and staff direct battle operations and control forces.
The CPP provides common digitized command centers with advanced command- and-control technologies to give commanders improved situational awareness using Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below software and other Army automated battlefield-command systems. This standardized command post will also allow operators and staff to move between organizational echelons without the need for retraining.
The CPP program is managed by the Project Manager, Tactical Operations Centers in Madison, Ala., for the Program Executive Officer, Command, Control, Communications (Tactical), Fort Monmouth, N.J.
"Mobile, modular, digitized, fully integrated command posts built on a common platform will give commanders a critical capability for optimal performance on the battlefield," said Otto Guenther, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's tactical systems division. "The 1st Calvary warfighters will redeploy to Iraq next year with state-of-the-art battle-command capabilities."
Northrop Grumman's associated efforts include special studies, vehicle platform engineering, and exercise and test support. This allows flexibility for investigating promising technologies, as well as working with other Army and joint program offices and government customers to realign their command post/command-and-control shelters to integrate standardized CPP capabilities.
Northrop Grumman's Information Technology sector is a significant partner on the CPP program, providing integrated logistics support, training, and integration and testing of the command-and-control components. Other program partners include Azbell Electronics, Waco, Texas; Titan Corp of San Diego; Tobyhanna Army Depot, Tobyhanna, Pa.; Applied Minds, Glendale, Calif.; Natural Interactive Systems, Portland, Ore.; Gichner Shelter Systems, Dallastown, Pa.; Harris Corp of Palm Bay, Fla.; and Sanmina-SCI, Schafer Corp and Colsa Corporation, all of Huntsville, Ala.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With more than 125,000 employees, and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.